We, the Muslim Members of Parliament belonging to various political parties, would like to draw your Kind attention to three issues of urgent public importance with a request to your esteemed self to initiate appropriate steps immediately.

First issue:
The first and foremost issue is the situation arising out of the Mumbai train serial blasts. Muslims all over the country strongly condemned the serial blasts on July 11 as the worst terrorist act and a crime against the nation and entire humanity. This barbaric
act goes counter to the spirit of Islam, which preaches peace, non-violence and compassion. Islam gives great value to human lives and says that killing an innocent person is like killing humanity.

But, unfortunately, in the aftermath of the blasts, ministers from Maharashtra and other states, politicians, government officials, police and the media have sought to communalize the issue and give religious colour to the criminal terrorist act as “Islamic terrorism.” They sought to blame the entire Muslim community as supporters and collaborators of anti-national elements and tried to portray the areas inhabited by Muslims as havens of “Islamic terrorists.”

After the blasts, the Mumbai Police and Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) launched 'mass combing operations' in Muslim-dominated areas in and around Mumbai such as
Malvani, Malad, Kurla, Govandi, Chembur, and Mahim etc. Local police held innocent, poor Muslims by the dozens and they were made to sit in open compounds like criminals for hours in the night and their humiliating pictures were publicized in the media.

Such 'over-action' by the police created ill will, suspicion, distrust and communal disharmony between Hindus and Muslims of the city. We are pained by the violation of basic civil and human rights of hundreds of Muslims in and around Mumbai by the police in the name of investigation. There is a continuous violation of fundamental or civil liberties of Muslims in Mumbai a the hand of various agencies.

The Shiv Sena, BJP and other outfits of Sangh parivar are out to communalize the situation and foul up the atmosphere through their provocative actions and utterances against the Muslims. Only a few days before the serial blasts, the Shiv Sainiks went on the rampage and held Mumbai and entire Maharashtra to ransom for a day in protest against defiling of a statue of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s wife, even as the police remained mute witnesses to their vandalism. Shiv Sena and BJP, encouraged by the
police campaign against Muslims now, are bent upon creating terror among the Muslim community and vitiating the peace and communal harmony in Maharashtra.

In this scenario, we would urge you to please take note of these happenings and direct the Maharashtra government to entrust the investigations of the Mumbai train blast cases and also the bomb explosion at Bajrang Dal Office in Nanded (Maharashtra) on 06-04-2006 in which 2 Bajrang Dal activists died while making a bomb, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the interest of justice and fair-play. We also request you to ensure that the BJP, Shiv Sena and other Sangh outfits do not utilize the blasts for spreading venom and hatred against the Muslim community in the country in general and Maharashtra in particular.

Second issue:
The second crucial issue with serious ramifications is the application moved on behalf of the Union of India, seeking permission to carry out civil work in the nature of construction of a bullet proof steel structure on four sides of the central place of Babri Masjid (described as ‘Ram Lala’ in the aforesaid application) and another double wall of steel behind the above structure.

Under the cover and pretext of threat perception for the said site, the Uttar Pradesh Government had proposed a scheme to construct a bullet proof structure on the aforesaid site and officers of the Central Government agreed with the said proposal on 4-10-2005 and in pursuance thereto, the aforesaid application has been moved in the Hon’ble Supreme Court for grant of permission to carry out the aforesaid civil work at a cost of Rs 7.72 crore.

The working committee of All India Muslim Personal Law Board had also opposed the said proposal and demanded the withdrawal of the same in its meeting held on April 23, 2006.

We are constrained to recall that in the past also, some advisers of successive Congress governments had made such mistakes in 1989 and again in 1992 due to which Shilanyas were performed and Babri Masjid was demolished and similar persons appear be there behind the aforesaid proposal for getting the illegally constructed makeshift structure made an air-conditioned and bullet-proof complex in violation of law enacted by the Parliament in 1993 and interpreted by the Supreme Court in 1994 and 2004.

In this backdrop, we request you earnestly to take personal interest in the matter and take immediate steps to ensure that the aforesaid proposal of construction of the bullet proof structure on or around Babri Masjid site is withdrawn and the Muslims are not given the impression that even after their success in the case pending in the Hon’ble High Court, they may not be able to restore Babri Masjid at the disputed site. The site in question can be protected in different ways by augmenting the strength of central para-military forces and police forces deployed there.

Third issue:
Another issue that needs appropriate foreign policy response by your government is the escalating crisis in West Asia triggered by Israel’s unmitigated and continuing aggression against both
Lebanon and Palestine. Israel has wrought all-round destruction in Lebanon as well as Gaza and other areas of Palestine by carrying out its military offensive through land, air and sea. Hundreds of innocent civilians in Lebanon and Palestine have died due to Israel’s non-holds barred aggression.

In gross violation of all international laws and conventions and in total disregard to the concerns of an overwhelming number of countries across the world, Israel, supported and encouraged fully by the United States of America, has threatened to continue its aggression for many more weeks and to go ahead with its destruction of the infrastructure and civilian areas of Lebanon and Palestine.

We welcome your statement made in Parliament and also thank you for the financial assistance announced to the
Lebanon. We also request you to order the recall of the Indian Ambassador to Israel to mark India’s strong protest against Israeli aggression.

We hope and trust that your esteemed self will give serious thought to the issues raised in this memorandum and take appropriate measures in the best interest of the country and the people.